The session will be conducted by Joanna Wong, Artistic Director of Chinese Theatre Circle Limited (CTC) who has previously conducted workshops in IUGTE programmes. Joanna is a household name in the Chinese Opera circle in Singapore. A graduate of the University of Singapore, she is a Justice of Peace appointed by the Singapore Government and was awarded the Singapore Cultural Medallion, the highest accolade in the arts bestowed by the Government. She has more than fifty years of experience in performing Chinese Opera at home and abroad.

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

The talk will cover the basic principle of Chinese Opera : "Every Sound is music and every movement a dance". The different aspects and features of Chinese opera, such as movements and gestures, use of “water sleeves”, roles and singing will be covered. Conference participants will be invited to have "hands-on" experience in these demonstrations. There will be presentation of two short excerpts of Chinese Opera: one a traditional opera (titled "Poetry As The Matchmaker") performed by two artists and another one, performed by five artists is a Chinese Opera sung in English. The actors will be in Chinese opera costumes and full make-up. The second excerpt is an extract from a full length opera entitled “Intrigues in the Qing Imperial Court”. It is CTC’s effort in innovating and reinventing a traditional Chinese Opera piece and making it more relevant in present-day society in Singapore. The full length opera "Intrigues In The Qing Imperial Court" sung in English was staged at the International Arts Festival held in Ukraine in 2010 and won the prestigious award for "Successful Modernisation of Traditional Theatre". This opera has been staged at home, in China and Ireland, and was last presented in Toronto, Canada in October 2016 earning warm praises from the Guest-of Honour, the Mayor of Markham City in Toronto.

The presentation of the two opera excerpts is to show the difference between a traditional Chinese Opera and a newly developed style of Chinese Opera by CTC. The presentation will be accompanied by English surtitles to help the audience to better understand the singing and the story.

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